Take a bow Kyle Flanagan. The Bulldogs halfback-turned-hooker played perhaps his best game to date in the Bulldogs 64-12 demolition job on the Eels.
Meanwhile, versatile Shark Connor Tracey stunned and Braydon Trindall is ready to go should Nicho Hynes get called into Origin camp.
Penrith’s entire backline ran amok and a couple of next generation Roosters forwards shone.
Read on for the latest Reserve grade Wrap.
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ALL EYES WERE ON
Kyle Flanagan stole the show on Monday, scoring 32 of the Bulldogs’ 64 points with four tries and eight goals from 12 attempts. It was the first time a single player scored over 30 points in 10 years.
Flanagan, who has found a home at hooker since dropping back to NSW Cup, scored three of those tries in the first half and also set up another. He finished with 117 running metres and 25 tackles in a performance in his most stunning performance to date.
“It was probably one of my best games in a while. I’ve been looking to find some form and when you put in a team performance like that it makes my job a lot easier,” Flanagan told Fox League after the game.
Slater discusses Game II Maroons squad | 12:31
Braidon Burns celebrated his return from a knee injury with a try in the opening minute. He got two more as well, set up another, got two linebreak assists and ran for 122 metres.
Big Franklin Pele ran over anyone that got in his way, finishing with 159 metres from 14 runs, a linebreak, nine tackle busts and 14 tackles — zero misses — in 50 minutes.
Jake Arthur played his first game for Manly’s feeder side, Blacktown Worker’s and although it finished in a 16-all draw, the new recruit left his mark on the game with two try assists, two linebreak assists and 104 running metres.
Cronulla’s Connor Tracey was a man on a mission at fullback for Newtown, scoring a double, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist, 15 tackle busts and running for 225 metres. Tracey is Mr. Versatile but sure looks at home in the No.1 jersey.
If Nicho Hynes earns selection for Origin II, back-up playmaker Braydon Trindall will get a call-up and his performance for Newtown will fill Craig Fitzgibbon with plenty of confidence. Trindall had the ball on a string, scoring a try and setting up three more as well as getting four linebreak assists.
Elsewhere, Tristan Sailor showed his class for Souths Logan, scoring a try, setting up two more and running for 179 metres.
STANDOUTS
Blake Wilosn ran amok at fullback in the Bulldogs’ big win, finishing with 267 metres, three linebreaks and eight tackle busts, while powerhouse winger Jeral Skelton got a try, two linebreaks, 14 tackle busts and 173 metres.
Pint-sized hooker Peter Mamouzelos bagged a double for the Rabbitohs and made 47 tackles with just two misses in their 30-22 win over the Dragons, while young prop Davvy Moale was enormous with 180 metres and 29 tackles — zero misses.
Billy Burns was impressive in a losing side, scoring two tries and getting two linebreaks, seven tackle busts and 130 metres. He also made 26 tackles with zero misses.
Viliami Vailea was hard to handle in the centres for the Warriors, scoring two tries, setting up another, getting two linebreaks, a linebreak assist and 195 running metres. Lock Kalani Going was rock-solid too with two try assists, five tackle busts, 145 running metres and 27 tackles with two misses.
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Barnstorming winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega was at his destructive best for Blacktown, scoring a try, getting a linebreak, nine tackle busts and 189 metres. On the other side of the field, the skill of Justin Matamua was on show, with the young lock setting up a try, getting a linebreak, and 135 metres in 42 minutes. He also made 22 tackles with zero misses.
North Sydney Bears winger William Fakatoumafi scored a hat-trick but it wasn’t enough to match Newtown’s seven tries — three of those scored by veteran Josh Mansour.
Mawene Hiroti was delivering the goods in the centre, setting up two tries, getting two linebreaks and running for 181 metres.
It was Kurt Falls’ boot that got Penrith home against a spirited Roosters outfit. Falls’ penalty goal in the 63rd minute ended up being the play that decided the result.
All of the Panthers’ backline — from No.1 to No.7 — ran over 100 metres. In fact two of them made over 200 metres — Jesse McLean and Jack Cole.
Welch handed one-match ban for hip-drop | 00:36
A few of the Roosters’ next generation forwards put in a lot of effort to try and get their side over the line. Naufahu Whyte finished with 251 metres — 109 post-contact — as well as seven tackle busts and 24 tackles with two misses, while Siua Wong notched up 232 metres, a linebreak assist, seven tackle busts and 31 tackles with four misses.
21-year-old Riley Meyn also had his best game in NSW Cup, scoring two tries, getting two linebreaks and 122 running metres in the second row.
Tweed Seagulls winger Kaleb Ngamanu bagged a hat-trick, got two linebreaks, six tackle busts and 171 metres, while Treymain Spry carved up in the centres with two tries, a try assist, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and 190 metres.
Fellow Titan Keano Kini starred for Burleigh with two try assists, one linebreak, two linebreak assists, seven tackle busts and 245 metres at fullback and second-rower Joshua Patston had a game to remember with two tries, two linebreaks, six tackle busts, 143 running metres and 28 tackles with one miss.
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Norths Devils skipper Jack Ahearn tried to lead by example with two tries, a try assist, two linebreaks, a linebreak assist and 148 metres but it wasn’t enough to get the win.
PNG Hunters centre Rodrick Tai was a handful with a try, a linebreak, 12 tackle busts and 214 metres, while Storm-contracted back Sualauvi Faalogo shone at fullback for Sunshine Coast with 24 runs for 250 metres and 11 tackle busts.
Dolphins second-rower Jeremiah Simbiken was everywhere with two try assists, a linebreak, 169 metres and 27 tackles — three misses.
Wynnum-Manly stunned with a 62-nil thrashing of Mackay and five-eighth Josh Rogers scored 22 of those points with a try and nine conversions from 11 goals. He also set up three tries, got a linebreak assist and ran for 104 metres.
Broncos backs Delouise Hoeter and Deine Mariner dominated in the centres for Wynnum-Manly. Hoeter scored a hat-trick, got two linebreaks and 165 running metres, while Mariner set up a try, got seven tackle busts and ran for 221 metres.
Elsewhere, Jack Campagnolo set up two tries and ran for 118 metres at halfback for Souths Logan’s win over Ipswich.
SPOTTED
There was a blow-up with three minutes to go in Burleigh’s heated contest with Norths Devils. Two Burleigh players were sin-binned, while former Broncos prop George Fai — who made a mid-season switch from the Dolphins — was sent off for striking. Prior to that he had impressed with 12 runs for 152 metres in 33 minutes.